The Replacements: How will Ohio State replace safety Malik Hooker?

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Although Ohio State is set to return 15 starters this season, the Buckeyes still have holes to fill. That includes the play of a unanimous All-American and first-round NFL draft pick in Malik Hooker.

The No. 15 overall pick of the 2017 NFL Draft, Hooker served as one of college football’s top defensive playmakers in 2016. Despite only starting for one season at Ohio State, Hooker left his mark before leaving a void that now must be filled.

What will the Buckeyes be replacing in Hooker, and how will they go about doing it? Let’s take a look.

The production

There wasn’t a more exciting defensive player in college football to watch with the ball in his hands in 2016 than Hooker. The New Castle, Pa., native recorded 7 interceptions, returning a nation-high 3 of them for touchdowns.

In addition to his strong pass defense, Hooker tallied 74 tackles, 5.5 of which came for a loss. For his efforts, the redshirt sophomore earned first-team All-Big Ten honors and joined Pat Elflein as one of two unanimous All-Americans on the Buckeyes roster.

The candidates

Two candidates stand out as potential Hooker’s potential replacement.

Erick Smith

A former 4-star prospect, Erick Smith arrived at Ohio State three years ago with big expectations. The Cleveland Glenville product ranked as the No. 3 player in Ohio and the No. 6 safety overall in the 2014 class, per the 247Sports composite rankings.

Injuries, however, have prevented Smith from living up to his potential or earning consistent playing time. In three seasons, the 6-foot, 203-pound safety has recorded 35 tackles and 1 interception.

Erick Smith will attempt to lock down a starting spot entering his senior season. (Jeremy Birmingham/Land of 10)

Although his playing time has primarily come on special teams, Hooker’s departure provides an opportunity for Smith to finally earn a starting gig. Most importantly, the senior must stay healthy to make the most of his final chance.

Jordan Fuller

While Smith may have experience on his side — at least from an age standpoint — Jordan Fuller is one of the defense’s young up-and-comers. A former 4-star prospect himself, Fuller ranked as the No. 6 overall athlete and fourth-ranked player in the state of New Jersey in the 2016 class.

In his first season in Columbus, Fuller appeared in 12 of Ohio State’s 13 games, primarily in mop-up duty, and tallied 11 tackles.

At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, Fuller already possesses ideal size and speed for the safety position. If replacing Hooker’s playmaking ability is what concerns the Buckeyes the most, Fuller might be their best bet.

What Ohio State’s coaches are saying

Ohio State cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs: “I think Erick Smith and Jordan Fuller are playing great and there’s no reason why those guys couldn’t rotate. We do it on the defensive line and nobody ever asks a question about that, right? They keep rolling those guys in and guess what they do? They play fast and they sack quarterbacks.”

Ohio State sophomore Jordan Fuller is vying for a starting safety spot. (Jeremy Birmingham/Land of 10)

Ohio State safeties coach and defensive coordinator Greg Schiano: “We have a lot of guys to replace, but again, we feel we have some people who can do the job, but until they do it, it’s all conjecture, right? That’s our intentions, but we very well know we’ll be judged on our actions, not on our intentions.”

The front-runner

Forced to pick one, Fuller seems like the favorite, although there’s reason to believe both he and Smith will rotate alongside returning starter, Damon Webb.

As Coombs alluded to, the Buckeyes haven’t been shy to share playing time at other positions in the past, and Ohio State’s recent success on the recruiting trail may allow it to play more players than usual in 2017.

Nevertheless, regardless of how much the Buckeyes rotate, somehow has to start. Right now, I believe Fuller gets the nod, but all three of Ohio State’s primary safeties will see significant playing time in the coming year.

As for living up to Hooker’s standard, that’s easier said than done. But it’s worth noting that at this time last year, nobody expected the now-Indianapolis Colt to become what he did.